Not applicable to this application.
Not applicable to this application.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air conditioning systems and more specifically it relates to a fluid cooled air conditioning system for effectively cooling a continuous flow of return air to a desired temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional air conditioning systems have been in use for years. One type of air conditioning system utilizes a liquid or gaseous refrigerant that requires the usage of a compressor and a condenser. Refrigerant cooled systems receive return air and pass the air over the condenser to reduce the temperature of the air before dispensing into a room via an air duct.
In larger buildings, refrigerant based systems run into problems because the conduit between the condenser and the air handler exceeds distance limitations, or the length of duct work becomes unmanageable. To solve these inherent problems with conventional refrigerant-based systems, xe2x80x9cchilled water systemsxe2x80x9d are typically utilized.
In a chilled water system, the entire air conditioner is positioned upon the roof or behind the building. It cools water to between 40 and 45 Fahrenheit. This chilled water is then piped throughout the building and connected to air handlers as needed. One popular application of chilled water systems has been underfloor-air for computer rooms using false floors and the like. It is well known that computer rooms have numerous electronic heat generating devices that have high cooling requirements.
The main problem with conventional chilled water systems is that they are not capable of handling high cooling loads that can be associated with a computer room operating at peak capacity. Another problem with conventional chilled water systems is that they require large flow rates of chilled water to maintain a desirable temperature.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for effectively cooling a continuous flow of return air to a desired temperature. Conventional chilled water systems are not capable of efficiently and effectively cooling a room having high cooling requirements.
In these respects, the fluid cooled air conditioning system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively cooling a continuous flow of return air to a desired temperature.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of air conditioning systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new fluid cooled air conditioning system construction wherein the same can be utilized for effectively cooling a continuous flow of return air to a desired temperature.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new fluid cooled air conditioning system that has many of the advantages of the air conditioning systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new fluid cooled air conditioning system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art air conditioning systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a first valve fluidly connected to a chilled fluid supply, a main cooling unit connected to the first valve, a second valve connected to the main cooling unit and a chilled fluid return, and a precooling unit connected to the second valve. During normal cooling requirements, the second valve diverts the chilled fluid to the chilled fluid return instead of the precooling unit. However, during high cooling requirements, the second valve allows the chilled fluid to pass through the precooling unit for precooling the return air prior to entering the main cooling unit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a fluid cooled air conditioning system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a fluid cooled air conditioning system for effectively cooling a continuous flow of return air to a desired temperature.
Another object is to provide a fluid cooled air conditioning system that may be utilized in various cooling applications such as but not limited to underfloor air and computer rooms.
An additional object is to provide a fluid cooled air conditioning system that reduces the amount of chilled water required to cool heated return air.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.